Elapse
by OpheliacAngel
Summary: His soul explodes into a thousand vivid pinpoints of sunlight at the sight. His eyes try and nearly fail to hone in on the oh so familiar archangel's face. Set sometime during Season 8 or even past that point. Dean/Gabriel.


**Title: **Elapse

**Author: **OpheliacAngel

**Characters & Pairings: **Dean/Gabriel, Castiel, Sam

**Genre: **Romance/Angst

**Rating: **Teen

**Summary: **His soul explodes into a thousand vivid pinpoints of sunlight at the sight. His eyes try and nearly fail to hone in on the oh so familiar archangel's face. Set sometime during Season 8 or even past that point.

**A/N: **Okay, so I'm trying to write some Angel stuff, but it's so hard to ease into a new fandom and then debriel begged me for attention and I just had to give in.

**Soundtrack: **The Contortionist's 'Flourish'

* * *

_~Now the experience is long gone_

_We won't forget its entrancing stare_

_As long as we recall its grip~_

* * *

"And another thing, Cas. I don't want you doing anything without my say so..."

"Dean."

"You got me? Anything you even think about doing, you run it by me first. Cause for fuck's sake, Cas, we're a team, remember?"

"Dean!"

The Winchester finally shuts up and glares at Castiel for a moment. It doesn't take long before he figures out to follow his gaze and turn around. He hates it when people try to sneak up on him, figures he should just ignore the person and walk out the door before giving them so much as a glance. He knows it's not Sam, Sam would have butted into the conversation two minutes ago, so Dean's curious enough not to leave at who exactly it might be.

His soul explodes into a thousand vivid pinpoints of sunlight at the sight. His eyes try and nearly fail to hone in on the oh so familiar archangel's face. Gabriel. Gabriel, who died for him, who stood up to his family and received death in return. Gabriel, who he's wanted to see and thank for he doesn't know how long. He's schooled his face long enough not to smile or look the slightest bit pleased, he shouldn't even be feeling this to begin with, but Dean's not positive that Gabriel can't see it imprinted in his eyes.

"Castiel," he finally speaks after what seems like ages, and his voice sounds just as perfect to Dean as it used to. "Would you mind leaving us?" And the last thing Dean expected Gabriel to do was ask Castiel politely, let alone want a private moment with him at all. He glances over at Cas, just to see what he's planning on doing, and he's shocked to see him nod and then vanish.

It's everything he can do not to call the angel who he shares an immense bond with to come back. He's slightly afraid to be left alone with Gabriel, he's afraid of what either of them might be drawn to do.

Isn't Cas surprised though, surprised that Gabriel's here, alive, at all? Cause Dean sure is. Not that he really cares, he's more worried about Castiel doing something stupid again, specifically risking his life for Dean. Still, he can't help but give the archangel his undivided attention.

"Gabriel."

"Dean." He's so confused at this point, he isn't getting anything whatsoever from Gabriel and he wants to know what the hell is going on, why Gabriel's here, why Gabriel's alive, why he wanted Castiel to leave and just why, why Dean should stand right here and agree to stay until Gabriel leaves.

Yet here he stands, ears open and eyes wide, and he doesn't want to give this to Gabriel, but somehow he can't deny him of his presence or his surprise at his quiet entrance. He can't help but say it again, he feels like he's in a daze, "Gabriel."

And then it all comes back, the dreams where the archangel would crash into him and literally squeeze the life out of him, where they would have sex for endless hours and if one of them would even try to leave the bed, the other would grab them tightly and pull them back into the warm comfy confines of it, where they would cuddle when they became too tired for action and words, bitch and complain and throw popcorn at the TV when reruns of Dr. Sexy came on, rip open endless boxes of candy and devour pies until there wasn't a crumb left in their containers. Sam wouldn't be around for some reason and neither would Cas and they would just chill out; if it was a dream scape Gabriel was creating, keeping everyone else out, Dean really didn't want to know. He just wanted Gabriel, and he could never seem to think of anything else but Gabriel.

He takes one step forward and he swears that Gabriel must have fast forwarded time or something, because the next second he comes back to himself, the archangel has crashed into him and is shoving him towards the bed, mouth stealing precious oxygen and Dean gasps in pleasure at the perfection of this moment.

"Thought you were dead... couldn't tell me you were alive, you fucker?" He spits out despite the fact that he barely has enough air to breathe, let alone talk, not to mention the things Gabriel's getting ready to do to him are sending his entire head reeling into a dizzying yet all together too pleasurable state of being.

"Where would the surprise be in that, kiddo?" He gives the Winchester one of those wicked looks which means he's up to no good and Dean honestly can't care, in fact, all he does is smile at how beautiful Gabriel looks hovering over him. He rolls to the side, forcing himself on top, because he wants to look down at Gabriel and study him, really study him because he hasn't seen him in ages.

"Whoa there," Gabriel gets smashed underneath him. "In the mood to take charge, big boy?"

"I've earned it," Dean merely replies, far too occupied with all the ideas dancing around in his head of what he could and just might do with Gabriel. Provided he's approving, and Dean has no doubt that he will be.

Gabriel doesn't argue. "Missed you," he smiles down at Dean with warm, sparkling amber eyes. His eyes travel to the lower part of his body slowly, seductively, "Missed every part of you."

"Oh really?" Gabriel rolls over in turn, forcing Dean back under him and for once, Dean can't find himself to care. He laughs as Gabriel maps his skin unpredictably with kisses, taunting Dean before moving down lower. Dean suddenly let's loose a long, drawn out moan, his fingers finding themselves in Gabriel's silky soft hair and they stay latched there.

"Fuck, Gabriel."

"You got it, Deano."

**...**

Later on, Gabriel's upper body lies curled up on Dean's chest, and the latter is flipping through the channels before growing fed up and shutting the TV off, throwing the remote across the room. "Stupid freaking daytime TV." Gabriel stirs at his comment, his fingers tapping out some random rhythm on Dean's stomach. "How long you gonna stay for this time?"

He looks up in surprise at that, "For as long as you want me to." Dean strangely isn't as satisfied with the answer as he'd like to be, and Gabriel seems to sense it. Great, as if he didn't have enough people prying into his thoughts and feelings already.

He quickly changes the subject, "You think Cas suspects anything?"

"You kidding me? He's got that profound bond with you, after all. It's like having eyes in the back of his head, well, that's a little too creepy for me, anyway," he rips open a bag of twizzlers that just appeared out of nowhere and offers one to Dean. He takes it. "Don't know how Sammy's gonna take it, but I'm staying put just so long as I'm needed."

Because god knows what would happen if Gabriel didn't feel needed.

"You better stay put. Otherwise, I'm gonna track you down, cause you know I'm capable of it, and then I'm gonna gank your ass." And he would too, if Gabriel thinks he can play with him.

"Ever the romantic, Deano." He forms a pathetic little heart with his piece of red licorice, though Dean has to admit, it is kinda cute. Shoving Gabriel's cuteness aside...

"Yeah, well, bite me."

"I believe we just got done doing that," he trails a twizzler from Dean's neck down to his chest, and Dean yanks it away before being forced to squirm more. "Ooh, another weakness. I'll have to exploit that one pretty soon," Gabriel chuckles.

"Shut up." He yanks a new twizzler out of Gabriel's hand and the archangel growls at him, looking like he has half a mind to yank it back, but he reaches his hand into the jumbo sized bag for a new one instead. "And I'm serious," Dean continues. "You're not just gonna up and leave. If you're staying, you've got responsibilities around here."

Gabriel sighs loudly, "Yeah yeah. Not gonna ditch you, it's not my intention to break you, Winchester."

"Not good enough," Dean crosses his arms and stares down at Gabriel, throwing his demands out more confidently now because he knows Gabriel will deliver. He always does and always will if this whole thing they've been sharing hasn't been a lie.

"Man, you just love to push my buttons, don't ya, kiddo?"

I excel at it, as a matter of fact.

"Fine, if I ditch you then you have every right to kill me. I'll even encourage you."

More.

"Want another twizzler?" Gabriel asks innocently, sweetly, and Dean gives in and lets Gabriel feed it to him. He moans at the taste of it.

"Fine, I'll shut up. But half that bag belongs to me now." He reaches for it but the archangel yanks it out of his reach just in time, sticking his tongue out at the Winchester and leaving the bed, dashing out of the room. "What is he, five years old?" Dean mumbles to himself, stumbling out of bed awkwardly himself, desperate to catch up, Gabriel drawing him into the stupid game so effortlessly.

He makes it as far as the living room before Gabriel jumps him from behind and causes him to crash into the couch. "Why, you little...," Gabriel only laughs and throws the bag of licorice halfway across the room, taking one glance at Dean and determining what he wants more.

Dean reciprocates.

And as he feels Gabriel's hand enclose his neck tightly, protectively yet infinitely gently, pulling him forward to kiss him possessively, he feels as if Gabriel's eyes will be on him forever, eternally impressed, hungry with lust for the end of his days, always craving a life with him that sometimes, the human will scarcely be able to imagine.

You're damn right he's ready.

**...**

Gabriel's been sulking for half the day since the angel decided to poke his head back into Dean's life just to see how he was. Now, Dean's pretty sure what's up, in fact, he's been pretty sure of it all along.

"Don't tell me you're jealous of Cas." Gabriel only growls at that, but that's all the answer Dean needs. He spends the rest of the day, not to mention night, making sure the archangel knows that he's Dean's, and that Dean is his. No matter what, he's not giving Gabriel up again. He's staying, whether he likes it or not.

And Cas, well, he'll just have to have a decent explanation in the morning.

"Dean?"

"Dean?" Another more pressing voice and he comes back to himself, looks up into the concerned and confused faces of Sam and Cas. He blinks once, twice, three times, willing Gabriel to come back but he doesn't. Not even a flicker of him makes its way into Dean's memories.

"What year is it?"

Sam just looks at him with more concern and he really freaking hates it, but he's choosing to ignore it at this point. "Um, what year do you think it is, Dean?"

The eldest Winchester merely rubs a tired hand over his face and leaves the room, heading outside to get some fresh air. He stops in the parking lot, he doesn't know why, all he knows is that he feels achy and sick all over and he keeps on expecting the archangel to pop up out of nowhere but somehow he just _won't. _

Dean just wants it all to stop, for the world to stop spinning around him and setting his head on fire, for his hands to stop shaking and his throat to not burn while his eyes dry up with tears he wants to cry. He's Dean Winchester, he can hold it together, that's what he always does.

"Dean?"

He looks up and finds Cas standing there, and he wants to wrap his arms around him and cry into his trench coat, but he doesn't give that option to himself because it isn't an option, it's never been and Dean should know better for even thinking it. It's almost as if Castiel were reading his mind now though, for he moves closer and Dean turns away from the look on his face.

He has Gabriel written all over his, everything he loves about Gabriel and the amount he so desperately needs Gabriel right about now.

"Are you alright?"

He nods, slowly, at the question, instantly regretting the movement which brings on a massive migraine. He manages to hide the whimper from Cas, but not the wince.

"No, you're not," the angel says matter of fact. "Tell me what is wrong."

"That discussion we were having about you not taking off without my approval, did we have that?" He's so lost, so utterly lost he doesn't know if he should be even saying this at this point, considering he probably already knows the answer. And then Cas just gives him another look of confusion and then some pity accompanying it, and it's all Dean can take, and he certainly can't take it when the angel puts what he assumes to be a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but instead feels anything but.

"Don't touch me!" He backs away, shaking his head, trying to open up in his mind what Gabriel looks like again, what he feels like and smells like and _tastes like_.

"I'm sorry," he manages to get out, pissed he let his guard down enough to get pissed at Cas enough to do that. "Did Sam send you out here?" He knows it's a stupid question even before it comes out of his mouth.

"You know that Sam has no influence on our bond."

Dean smiles a little, he loves it when Cas mentions their bond, somehow it relaxes him and makes it feel at ease rather than making him uncomfortable, like it probably should. "Yeah, I just..."

"You do not need to hide things from me, Dean. In fact, you should know better. I know you do not approve of asking for help, but know that I am here should you ever need to talk. And rest assured, if you will not speak to me, Sam will no doubt get it out of you."

Wow, he can't help but smile at how much Cas has grown up, all the things he's taught him about what the world is really like. That still doesn't stop him from shivering however, shivering at the dread and the piercing chill that's sinking deep into his bones at Gabriel not being here. He's not quite sure how he's still on his feet, with the world spinning around him and turning what seems to be reality upside down.

"Yeah, Cas, I know. Thanks." He smiles, to reassure him, but he only feels more sick inside. He swallows down the bile threatening to rise up, figuring it's probably a good idea if he lies down before he collapses right in front of Cas. It's happened before, and he doesn't care for a repeat. "Think I'm gonna go lie down, I'm beat."

"I believe that would be wise." Castiel doesn't try to touch him again as he walks by, and he avoids Sam's gaze before collapsing on the bed, turning away from him.

"Dean?" And somehow, Dean can't discern whether it comes from his own brother or Gabriel.

He closes his eyes and wills Gabriel to come back, if only for a split second because that's all he truly needs, just a second to tell Gabriel how much he wants him back, back here with the three of them. Back here to prevent his heart from splitting open and falling out of his chest.

**FIN**


End file.
